The Dog's Voice

During a viral family mediation livestream, the notoriously difficult Dolores Bishop appeared on camera clutching her beloved toy poodle, Buddy, who was foaming at the mouth and suffering violent seizures every night. Convinced her daughter-in-law cursed the dog to death, Dolores demanded half a million dollars in emotional damages. The chat erupted with criticism, calling her a shameless bully trying to extort her own family. But after reviewing Buddy's test results, renowned veterinarian Dr. Alex Warren delivered a devastating diagnosis: irreversible neurological damage. The only humane option was euthanasia before the seizures became even more agonizing. Just as everyone accepts there's no hope, I heard Buddy's desperate voice. "Don't kill me! Please, Grandma, save me! I'm not sick! Every night that chubby three-year-old grandson uses me like a mop, dragging me across the floor after spilling peppermint oil everywhere. It burns so badly I can't stop convulsing!" My hand jerked, nearly shattering the teacup I'd just poured. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to Dolores. "Mrs. Bishop, is your grandson carrying a full bottle of peppermint oil in his pocket?" Chapter 1 "What the hell are you talking about?" Dolores Bishop reacted as if someone had stepped on her tail. She shot up from the floor and yanked her chubby grandson, Matty Bishop, who had been playing on a phone beside her, behind her back. "Who the hell are you, coming in here and spewing this garbage?" She jabbed a finger in my face, the gold ring on it nearly striking me in the eye. I didn't back down. My gaze remained fixed on the three-year-old boy behind her, who was as round as a ball. Matty was biting his finger, his eyes darting around with a slyness that didn't belong on a child his age. "Mrs. Bishop, Buddy's seizures aren't caused by a neurological disorder. His skin and mucous membranes have been exposed to a highly concentrated peppermint oil." I pointed at Buddy, who was still foaming at the mouth on the examination table. "All we have to do is check your grandson's pockets. Then we'll know whether I'm making this up." The entire studio went silent for a second. The livestream comments froze, then began flying across the screen ten times faster than before. [Who is this woman? Is she an intern on the mediation show?] [Peppermint oil? That's ridiculous. Can it really make a dog react like that?] [That kid does look like a little terror, though. He was kicking the table earlier.] Dolores' expression shifted, but she quickly doubled down. She dropped onto the floor, clutched her chest, and began wailing. "This is outrageous! Picking on a poor grandmother and her helpless grandson! "My precious boy is only three! He wouldn't even step on an ant, and now this heartless woman is accusing him of something so horrible!" The moment Matty saw his grandmother sit down, he understood exactly what she wanted. He opened his mouth and began howling without shedding a single tear. Still crying, he grabbed a plastic water bottle from the table and hurled it at me with all his strength. I tilted my head aside. The bottle missed me and struck the wall with a dull thud. "Look what you've done! You've terrified him!" Dolores pulled Matty into her arms and wailed even louder. Naomi Bishop, the timid daughter-in-law who had been standing quietly off to the side, hurried over. She tugged at my sleeve, her voice pleading. "Paige, please stop. Matty's just a child. How could he possibly do something like that..." I stared at her in disbelief. Chapter 2 "Naomi, Buddy's dying, and you're still protecting the person who's hurting him?" Naomi's eyes turned red. She lowered her head, unable to meet my gaze. "I... I'm not protecting anyone. Dr. Warren already said it's neurological damage. I'll pay the compensation..." Across from us, Dr. Alex Warren adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. He rose to his feet, his tone dripping with condescension. "Miss Moreno, please don't use your laughable amount of knowledge to challenge my professional expertise." He picked up Buddy's lab report and gave it a shake. "I have a doctorate in veterinary medicine and ten years of clinical experience. "Every one of this dog's test results points to irreversible neurological damage. And you're telling me it was caused by peppermint oil? That's absolutely absurd." The moment Dr. Warren finished speaking, the livestream comments swung completely in his favor. [Exactly. Dr. Warren's a renowned expert. Who does this assistant think she is?] [She's so desperate for attention she'd use a dying dog to go viral.] [Fire this intern already. She's annoying.] I clenched my jaw. Buddy's weak voice echoed in my mind once again. "It hurts... My skin feels like it's on fire... Please help me... Matty really does have a green bottle in his pocket…" I took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Dr. Warren, if you're so certain, why not give Buddy a bath? If we wash the residue off his body, the seizures will ease immediately." Dr. Warren let out a cold laugh. "Ridiculous. He's already extremely weak. Bathing him would only speed up his death. That would be animal cruelty." The moment Dolores heard the words "animal cruelty", she scrambled to her feet and rounded on Naomi. "So that's it, Naomi! I was wondering why this little witch kept defending herself and targeting my grandson. You actually hired her to help you! You tried to kill my dog, and now you don't even want to pay!" Naomi frantically waved her hands, tears streaming down her face. "Mom, I didn't! I really don't know her!" Just then, the producer Flint Cameron's furious roar crackled through my earpiece. "Paige! Have you lost your mind? Who told you to go off script? Get off that set right now. Say one more word, and don't bother coming back to work tomorrow." I tightened my fists as I looked at Buddy lying weakly on the examination table. His eyes were half-open, filled with despair. Ignoring Flint's warning, I walked straight toward Matty. "If I'm lying, all we have to do is check his pockets." Seeing that I was serious, Dolores lunged at me like an enraged lioness. "Security! Where the hell is security? Get this crazy woman out of here!" Two burly security guards immediately rushed into the studio. One grabbed each of my arms, their grip so tight it felt like my bones were about to snap. "Let me go! That dog is burning alive!" I struggled with everything I had, but it was useless. Flint's icy voice came through my earpiece again. "Cut her microphone." My voice instantly disappeared from the livestream. Once she saw I was under control, Dolores smoothed her messy hair and slipped right back into her smug act. She walked over to Naomi, pulled a wrinkled sheet of paper from her pocket, and slapped it onto the table. "Sign it. Half a million dollars for emotional distress. If you're short by even one cent, you're not leaving here today." Naomi stared at the handwritten IOU, her entire body trembling. Chapter 3 "Mom, I really don't have that kind of money..." Naomi sobbed. "Jason only gives me $2,000 a month for living expenses. Where am I supposed to get half a million?" Dolores folded her arms and let out a cold snort. "That's your problem. You brought bad luck on my dog and got him killed. You owe me. "If you don't sign, I'll make Jason divorce you. You'll leave this family with nothing. You won't even be allowed to take the clothes on your back." The word "divorce" made Naomi's knees buckle. Her trembling hand reached for the pen on the table. "I'll sign... I'll sign..." Seeing her submit so completely made my eyes burn with anger. "Naomi, have you lost your mind? Buddy isn't dying because of you. Why are you taking the blame?" I shouted at the top of my lungs, but without a microphone, my voice disappeared beneath the chaos in the studio. Dr. Warren didn't even spare me a glance. He turned to his medical kit, removed a syringe, and slowly drew the clear solution into it before flicking the barrel under the lights. "Mrs. Bishop, since the compensation has been settled, I'll proceed with Buddy's euthanasia to spare him any more suffering." Dolores dabbed at the corners of her eyes, where there wasn't a single tear to be found. "Go ahead. My poor Buddy... I hope you go to a better place." Dr. Warren walked toward the examination table, syringe in hand. Buddy suddenly convulsed violently, letting out a heart-wrenching cry. His voice pierced straight into my mind. "No... That needle is scary. I don't want to die... I don't want to die... "Please save me... I promise I'll never pee where I'm not supposed to again... Please…" Tears flooded my eyes. I didn't know where the strength came from, but I ducked my head and bit down hard on the left security guard's hand. He yelped in pain and instinctively let go. I wrenched myself free from the other guard and charged toward the examination table like a cannonball. "Don't you dare!" I shoved Dr. Warren aside. Caught completely off guard, he staggered backward two steps. The syringe went flying, hit the floor, and shattered. The room fell silent. Everyone stared at me, stunned by what I'd just done. Dr. Warren looked at the broken glass on the floor, his face turning livid. "Do you have any idea how expensive that medication was? You're insane!" I wrapped my arms protectively around Buddy. His fur was soaked with sweat and some other unknown liquid, giving off an overpowering odor. The overpowering smell of concentrated peppermint oil mingled with the stench of dog urine after being heated by Buddy's body. "I told you. He doesn't need to be euthanized. He just needs a bath." Before I could finish— Smack! A stinging slap landed hard across my face. My head snapped to the side. My ears rang, and I tasted blood in my mouth. Dolores lowered her hand and pointed a finger in my face. "You little tramp! How dare you destroy Dr. Warren's medication!" The burning pain spread across my cheek. Holding my face, I glared at Dolores. Not only did she show no remorse, but she also planted her hands on her hips and continued shouting, spittle flying everywhere. "You're trying to steal from me! Everyone saw it! She slandered my grandson, and now she's trying to steal my dog!" Seeing his grandmother gaining the upper hand, Matty immediately ran over, practically bouncing with excitement. While I was busy shielding Buddy and couldn't defend myself, he lifted his leather shoe and drove it straight into Buddy's stomach. Chapter 4 Buddy let out a heart-wrenching yelp, his body curling into a tight ball. "Matty! What are you doing?" I instinctively reached out to stop him. Instead, Matty lunged forward and sank his teeth into my wrist. A child's teeth were surprisingly sharp. He clamped down with all his strength, refusing to let go. Pain shot through my arm, and I gasped. Instinctively, I flung him away. Matty landed on his butt and immediately let out an ear-piercing wail. "Grandma! She hit me! She hit me!" The moment Dolores heard her grandson crying, panic swept across her face. "Oh, my precious baby!" She scooped Matty into her arms, carefully checked his mouth, then whirled around and glared at me. "You cursed little witch! If my grandson chipped a tooth, I'll make you pay for it!" Dr. Warren watched the entire scene with cold amusement, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Miss Moreno, not only do you lack even the most basic medical knowledge, but you've also abandoned every shred of professional ethics." Turning toward the livestream camera, he spoke in a heavy, sorrowful tone, "Everyone watching, because of this assistant's reckless interference, Buddy missed his best chance for a peaceful end. "His nervous system is now enduring unimaginable agony. If he dies here today, the responsibility rests entirely with her." The livestream comments exploded. [Doxx her! Find out who this evil woman is!] [She even hit a three-year-old? She's a complete psycho!] [That poor dog. Imagine ending up with someone this desperate for attention.] I looked toward the camera, unable to defend myself. Just then, Naomi rushed over and shoved me away. "Paige, just leave! Haven't I suffered enough already?" Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at me as if I were her worst enemy. "Are you really not going to stop until you've destroyed my family? I'm begging you... Please stop making things worse." I froze. I'd been slapped, bitten, and dragged through the mud by millions of people online. And after everything, she was telling me to leave. A crushing sense of helplessness washed over me. Buddy convulsed violently in my arms. His voice had grown so weak it was almost impossible to hear. "Don't worry about me anymore... Mom doesn't want me anymore... I'm so cold..." I lowered my head and looked into his fading eyes. If I let go now, he was going to die. I bit the inside of my tongue hard enough to taste blood, forcing myself to stay focused. I couldn't back down. I lifted my head and met everyone's eyes. "Naomi, you can keep kneeling if that's the life you choose. But today, I'm saving this dog." Then I turned to Dr. Warren. "Dr. Warren, didn't you say he was beyond saving? How about we make a bet?" He frowned at me as though I were completely insane. "A bet?" "Give me ten minutes." I pointed toward the restroom nearby. "If I can't save him, I'll pay Mrs. Bishop a million dollars. But if I do save him, you'll admit in front of everyone watching that you're a quack." The entire set fell silent. Over my earpiece, Flint had stopped yelling altogether. All I could hear was his ragged breathing. Dolores' eyes lit up like Christmas lights. "A million dollars? You mean that?" She eagerly stepped forward, no longer even bothering to hold onto her grandson. "You all heard her! Hundreds of thousands of people are watching this livestream as witnesses! If you can't save the dog and don't come up with a million dollars today, I'll call the police and have you arrested!" Chapter 5 Dr. Warren let out a scornful laugh, his eyes filled with contempt. "You can't help someone who's determined to make a fool of herself. Since you're so eager to humiliate yourself, I'll happily oblige." He gestured toward the restroom. "Ten minutes. Let's see how you plan to cure irreversible neurological damage with a bath." I didn't waste another second. Scooping Buddy into my arms, I sprinted into the restroom and locked the door behind me. There were no cameras inside. Just me and the dying little dog in my arms. I gently placed him in the sink, turned on the faucet, and adjusted the water until it was lukewarm. "Buddy, don't be scared. I'm going to wash all that stuff off you." The warm water flowed over his frail body. Instantly, the tiny restroom filled with the overpowering, acrid smell of peppermint oil. It was so strong my eyes began to water. I carefully washed his belly, where a large patch of skin had been burned raw by the chemical. Buddy's voice had become so faint it was barely there. "Oh, it hurts... Even the water hurts..." "Just hang in there. It'll be over soon." I worked faster, lathering his fur over and over with hand soap. The seconds ticked away. Outside, Dolores began pounding impatiently on the door. "Your ten minutes are almost up! Hiding in there won't save you! Get out here and pay up!" I ignored her and kept rinsing Buddy. Then, just as the stream of water ran over his head, his body suddenly went rigid, and all four legs stretched straight out. The whites of his eyes rolled back, and a strange rattling sound escaped his throat. His chest stopped moving. I froze. The handheld sprayer slipped from my fingers and clattered into the sink, sending water splashing everywhere. "Buddy?" With trembling fingers, I reached for his nose. Nothing. I pressed my hand against his chest. No heartbeat. The faint voice that had accompanied me all this time was gone. Bang! A security guard kicked the restroom door open. Dr. Warren charged in first, followed closely by a cameraman. The cameraman immediately trained the camera on Buddy's motionless body lying in the sink. Dr. Warren took one look and curled his lips into a smug smile. Then he turned toward the camera and spread his hands. "I'm sorry to tell everyone watching that because of Ms. Moreno's reckless attempt to save him, Buddy has completely lost all signs of life." Dolores shoved her way through the crowd. The moment she saw Buddy's body, she let out a gut-wrenching scream. "My Buddy! You died such a horrible death!" She spun toward me, glaring with bloodshot eyes. "Buddy's dead. Pay up. A million dollars. If you're short by even a penny, I'm calling the police right now." Naomi collapsed onto the floor, covering her face as she sobbed uncontrollably. The livestream comments reached a fever pitch. [Time to pay what she owes! Hand over the million!] [Throw her in prison! She's disgusting!] [Dr. Warren already said Buddy couldn't be bathed. She refused to listen. She deserves this.] I stood beside the sink, soaked from head to toe. Water dripped from my hair onto Buddy's cold body. Dr. Warren walked over and looked down at me with the smug confidence of a man who believed he'd already won. "Moreno, you lost. I hope you've got your money ready. A bet's a bet."